Hi there, We like camping stoves and are happy with a porta loo and blow-up matresses, in fact we prefer them to beds because there's more room for flexibility (we regulraly change sleeping arrangements in the night!).. Is there such a thing as a caravan which is basically just a shell?? We don't want a tent because of hassle putting them up and getting kids to sleep in them (need the darkness and noise insulation that caravans provide)!
Don't think you will find what you want for one simple reason.It is the furniture in the van that is the vans strength.Cupboards,beds sink units ect are braces that hold the walls and roof together,being screwed to the walls floor and roof. It would be very frail and wouldn't go very far before all the seals against the elements failed. The roof lockers are very much there to hold the van walls to the roof .Partitions are a must to keep the van from movement.If tourers were made empty they would fall to bits in no time.A horse box comes to mind as regards strength and not very much inside but these are of a very different construction, and are very heavy
------------- Corpogreen esq
dead horse
and
donkey buyer
Have you considered just a Transit van? I don't know how much room you need, but they can be pretty lengthy and, with a bit of know-how, you could probably rig up some bunks, or sleeping platforms (under which you can stash your stuff.) Ventilation may be an issue, though.
what a about a transiat van of some sort with one of them add on tent awning things like motor homes have so you have the best of both. but if you think you can spral on an air bed you will be shocked when you see the size of a caravan bed. we just got a little 12 ft 2 birth and the the bed huge hubbys in the middle and theres room for 2 more each side of him infcat most of the holes we had to put a light on to check we were both in bed.
you can set up a camp kitchen in an awning infcat if you want it like a tent have the conveniance of a caravan with the loo storeg in the cupboards and wardrobs . let the kids sleep in there and you can put a bedroom and all other stuff in the awaning like a tent just get a small van and adapt it
------------- Dyslexic not stuped
It's nice to be important but its more important to be nice
While what Corpogreen says is true for "most" caravans, it is not true for all.
In our van, see gallery, the furniture is completely seperate from the van and not being structural, it is only clipped in place. All the furniture can be removed in minutes and the van then used as a Box Trailer.
Also as the furniture is built this way, it could ofcourse then be used in a different vehicle like a Transit Van or even set up in a tent and used there, giving you a cooker, toilet, sink and cupboards.
Trailers that are empty require to be built much stronger than ordinary caravans and ours has a 10" deep locker area below the floor giving the van, which is a glass fibre shell, immense strength and also giving us terrific locker space.
However, fully furnished or not, it would still be too small for hewaller's requirements.
The strengthening that goes into a Caravan is a highly complex bit of design engineering and buying a caravan and then stripping out the interior is not something for the faint hearted. You would need to know what you were doing and be able to get hold of the specialised materials to replace any structural strength that you removed.
Like your van Lobey, Wish all vans were built with this type of construction.I saw a fibreglass van last year that was made all as one piece. no damp problems with one like that.
------------- Corpogreen esq
dead horse
and
donkey buyer
I know of someone who has built a basic "caravan" out of one of the small twin wheeled box vans.
Converted the roller shutter front door with a solid panel and an old caravan door, and built a unit on one side that is a bed with cupboards under, and a kitchen unit opposite.
He did find he has to insulate the fibreglass roof howerver.
I have seen caravan bodies put onto car transporter trailers.
The Classic Car would be transported to a rally and unloaded through the rear end which swung open.
Then inside the now empty van, beds folded down and an end bench that had a stove etc sitting on it and the caravan was then used as a Howf until the end of the rally when everything was folded away and the car put back onto its trailer.
By the by, because the car doors could not be opened once the car was inside the caravan, it was winched onto the trailer before being tied down.
Quote: Originally posted by hewaller on 31/7/2010
Thanks everyone, Yours looks like exactly the kind of thing we want, LobeyDosser! Are there other such things on the market to choose from?
Mine is just about to go on the market as our grandchildren want to go away with us and our van is too small for all of us.
Unfortunately it will be around £7000 so if you have won the Lottery or the like, let me know.
The way we tour, exploring out of the way places tend to mean, especially here in Scotland, single track roads and wildcamping where EHU are non existant, means that we need a unit that is no wider than an average family car and that can run without mains electrics for a week or more if need be.
The Sprintaway Lux does all that and more.
Here is us overnighting on Harris, during a 27 day tour of the Outer Hebrides.
And wildcamping on the beach on Lewis.
We have owned other types of camping units and each type designated the type of camping that that unit was best suited for and while all units can be used on caravan/camping sites, while Scotland remains a Tresspass Free Zone, it is worthwhile owning a unit that can take advantage of the worderful places that are still accessable to those who will make the effort to seek them out.
Thanks! The guy in the video refers to them as 'camping trailers' so I'll try that search term and see what comes up :) They look fantastic, just out of my price range!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Caravan with no interior fittings?
